What a disappointment when plump buds on orchids dry up and fall off. Anyone who interprets the trigger correctly and acts accordingly can save the noble flower from destruction. Read here why your orchid won't bloom its buds. With this strategy you can counteract it.
Why do orchid buds dry and fall off?
If orchid buds dry out prematurely and fall off, causes such as lack of light, cold, dry heating air, moisture, dryness or the ripening gas ethylene can be responsible. To prevent this, orchids should be placed in bright, warm locations without direct sunlight and drafts, with sufficient humidity and regular watering.
Wrong location causes buds to fall - tips for the ideal conditions
Where the site conditions do not come close to simulating the light and temperature conditions in the rainforest, an orchid will simply drop its buds. The following overview identifies common location problems and provides troubleshooting tips:
- Cause: Lack of light – Solution: A bright, not full sunny location
- Cause: Cold - Solution: A place with warm temperatures of 20-25 degrees Celsius, without cold drafts
- Cause: Dry heating air – Solution: Do not place above an active radiator
In rooms with humidity below 50 percent, every orchid bud dries up. Therefore, spray the tropical flower beauties regularly with soft water and set up humidifiers in the surrounding area.
Wetness and dryness cause the buds to fall
If an orchid's water balance becomes unbalanced, it is primarily the buds that have to suffer. Waterlogging causes root rot, so that the transport of water and nutrients comes to a standstill. In the early stages, the sensitive flower buds dry up and fall off. Please repot the orchid into dry substrate immediately. Take this opportunity to cut off the softened, rotten root strands with a disinfected knife.
Most orchid species can cope with short-term drought without any problems. If this condition persists for a long time, the buds shrivel and any hope of a lush flowering period is gone. Therefore, water or dip your orchids regularly. In summer, one dip per week usually covers the requirement, while in winter the watering intervals are extended to 2-3 weeks.
Tip
Orchids should not be in a room with a fruit basket containing apples, pears or similar fruits. These types of fruit release the ripening gas ethylene, which causes the buds to age prematurely. Before they can even develop into flowers, they fall off again.
